Medgadget » Dermatology

Q&A with Dr. Joseph Gulfo, President & CEO of MELA Sciences, Inc.

Gavin Corley — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:22:53 +0000

We have been following the MelaFind Lesion Analysis system for a number of years and were delighted to report on its CE and FDA approvals over the last 6 months. Often when a new device like this gets to market it is easy for us to forget the numerous hurdles that have been overcome just to get to a product launch. Dr. Joseph Gulfo, President and CEO of MELA Sciences, Inc, has been at the helm of MelaFind’s journey to market over the past number of years. He has taken some time to talk us about the technology behind MelaFind and the market approval process.

Gavin Corley, PhD, Medgadget: I understand that MelaFind had its origins outside of the medical device industry. Could you tell us a little bit about how the company transitioned from its early days as Electro-Optical Sciences into the medical field?

New Hydrogel for Better, Scar-Free Wound Healing

Stanley Darma — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:30:52 +0000

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a hydrogel that might help to grow healthy, scar-free tissue. The hydrogel is a water-based, three-dimensional framework of polymers created by researchers from JHU’s Whiting School of Engineering and Bayview Medical Center Burn Center. The results of early experiments with mouse tissue, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are looking quite promising.

The experiment showed that the hydrogel treatment promotes the development of new blood vessels and the regeneration of complex layers of skin, including hair follicles and the glands that produce skin oil. The hydrogel is easy to manufacture and could lead to better, inexpensive burn wound treatments. The hydrogel does not contain any drugs or biological components to make it work, making it easier to get approved for use on human patients.

Verisante Aura Helps Automatically Spot Cancerous Lesions

Gene Ostrovsky — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:11:59 +0000

Detecting skin cancer typically requires a dermatologist with a keen eye and a good deal of experience to identify the cancerous nature of skin lesions. A new device developed by the British Columbia Cancer Agency and the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine has just received Health Canada approval to help in early detection of skin cancer. The Aura, commercialized by local spin-off firm Verisante, does not require a dermatologist to operate and can be used by a clinical technician to provide an initial analysis. The Aura not only promises to help spot cancerous lesions early, it may help shorten waiting times and get more patients to receive screenings. Verisante is also reporting that it is shortly expecting European clearance of the Aura.

More about the Aura from the press release:

MELAFIND Lesion Imaging Technology a Step from Market Approval

Ronney Shantouf — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:29:40 +0000

MELA Sciences announced that the FDA has finally issued an approval letter for the MelaFind Pre-Market Approval application. The device is a non-invasive and objective multi-spectral computer vision system intended for use on clinically atypical pigmented skin lesions with one or more characteristics consistent with melanoma. Using a series of algorithms the system attempts to identify and classify the lesion. The device is to be used by appropriately trained physicians to help facilitate early detection of melanoma. MelaFind recently received European CE Marking earlier this month.

The company plans to work closely with the FDA to finalize pending issues such as physician labeling, user’s guide, and clinical protocols for post-approval study to obtain the final go ahead to bring the device to market.

MelaFind Lesion Imaging Device Receives CE Marking

Gavin Corley — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:08:56 +0000

MELA Sciences, Inc., a developer of technological solutions for melanoma detection, has received CE Marking for the MelaFind lesion imaging system. The device was covered on Medgadget some time ago and is a non invasive imaging tool designed to assist dermatologists in the detection of early melanoma.

The MelaFind system comprises a hand-held detector and a series of image processing algorithms to identify and classify the lesion using the company’s proprietary database of pigmented skin lesions.

MIT Develops GelSight Portable High-Resolution 3D Surface Imaging System

Wouter Stomp — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:58:51 +0000

Researchers from MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences have developed a new portable high-resolution 3D surface imaging system, called GelSight. It uses a slab of transparent, synthetic rubber with a metal-containing paint coated on one side. This side is pressed against the surface of an object, deforming the coated surface. Multiple cameras capture the image from the other side and with the help of computer-vision algorithms a detailed 3D image is reconstructed.

A first version was presented back in 2009, but in the mean time the device has been improved to capture physical features less than a micrometer in depth and about two micrometers across. A prototype sensor, about the size of a soda can, produces 3-D images almost instantly, which is a huge improvement over previous devices used for this kind of imaging such as confocal microscopes or white-light interferometers. The technique has many applications, from integrity checking for manufacturers to forensic investigations, but in medicine its main potential would be in dermatology. Surface characteristics of suspicious skin lesions could be captured with very high precision and could be reviewed in 3D from a computer. The video below provides some additional details:

Psoria-Light Phototherapy Device Uses Deep UV LED to Target Skin Conditions

Brian Klein — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:44:13 +0000

UV photo-therapy specialist Psoria-Shield Inc. has launched its Psoria-Light™ system in the United States, which can be used to treat skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, and vitiligo. The patent-pending device relies on deep ultra-violet light emitting diode (UV LED) technology originally developed for photoelectron-generation applications for space agencies and the U.S. military.

The device can emit either UVA or narrow-band UVB light making it versatile enough to be used for a variety of phototherapy treatment options.

Iphone App to Detect Malignant Moles

Stanley Darma — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:13:52 +0000

MelApp was released last month by Health Discovery Corporation. It’s a new iPhone app to assess the risk of melanoma. MelApp is not meant to replace dermatologists, but it should be an easy-to-use help in the early detection of melanoma. It uses the ABCDE (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter and Evolution) assessment to analyze the picture. This is how it works:

MelApp uses patent protected, highly sophisticated, state-of-the-art mathematical algorithms and image based pattern recognition technology to analyze the uploaded image. MelApp was validated using an image database licensed from Johns Hopkins University Medical Center. Using the iPhone camera feature, users can take a picture of their skin lesions and moles and within seconds receive a risk analysis of their uploaded picture being a melanoma. Utilizing your iPhone GPS, MelApp can refer you to a nearby physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma for proper medical follow up, without the need to input a zip code or any personal information. These pictures also can be stored on MelApp and reviewed for changes in the skin lesions occurring over time.

DermoMap iOS App Helps Identify Skin Problems

Gene Ostrovsky — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:00:56 +0000

DermoMap, a new iPhone/iPad dermatology app out of Spain, is helping identify skin conditions using multiple hi-def photos for each disease and extensive explanations. It is being targeted to both medical professionals as well as the pubic, and is designed to have both clinical and more lay language in the text so everyone can take advantage of it.

DermoMap is an interactive tool that serves as a diagnostic aid for general practitioners and nurses and as a study tool for medical students. It is available in English and Spanish. By listing a patient’s symptoms and the afflicted area of the body, the user can narrow his search from descriptions of the one-hundred most common skin problems that account for 95% of all diagnoses. The user also can compare high resolution images of these conditions with personal photos.
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Skin of Mine Helps You Keep an Eye on Skin Concerns

Gene Ostrovsky — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:58:12 +0000

Skin of Mine is a new iOS based service that helps people identify various skin conditions. Using an iPhone, iPad, or the iPod touch, you can take a photo of a mole, acne, or other abnormalities on the skin and have it reviewed by a dermatologist or nurse practitioner. Additionally, automated tools help you keep track of a mole between doctor visits, by quantifying its symmetry, border and color regularity. You can also compare your mole to those in the app’s database, as well as do a side-by-side progress review with photos taken at earlier times. Currently only patients in six states (New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Louisiana) have access to medical professionals via the app, but the company is moving toward having nationwide coverage.

From the product page: